For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُردو زباں کبھی ۔ پنڈت آنند موہن گلزارؔ دہلوی
منتخب
۱
اب تو یہ راز قتلِ ثقافت کا فاش ہے
تہذیب و اِتّحاد کا دل پاش پاش ہے
اُردو سمجھ رہے ہو جسے اپنے ذہن میں
لِتھڑی ہوئی کفن میں تمدّن کی لاش ہے
۲
غیروں کا سِتم تھا جو زباں پر تو وہ تھا ہی
اپنوں نے کیا قتل زباں اور زیادہ
سِکّوں کے عوض اپنی زباں بیچنے والے
کُھلوائیں نہ اب میری زباں اور زیادہ
جتنا مجھے کوسو گے دباؤ گے حریفو
اُبھریں گے میرے نقش و نشاں اور زیادہ
۳
بھارت ہی کی بیٹی ہے زبانِ اُردو
کیوں تیغ تعصب سے کرو اِس کو دو نیم
جمہوریتِ خاص کے دعویدارو
عالم میں کہیں علم ہوا ہے تقسیم
۴
آزاد ہند میں جو ہوئی لقمۂ اجل
وجہ نجاتِ ہند تھی اُردو زباں کبھی
ہیں آج جس کے حال پہ گونگے زباں دراز
وہ ہی زبان قوم کی تھی ترجماں کبھی
کانٹوں کی طرح پھینک دیا توڑ کر جسے
اُس گُل کی بُو سے رنگ پہ تھا گُلسِتاں کبھی
۵
آج معتوب ہے جو اہلِ سیاست کے طُفیل
کتنی مقبول وہی اُردو زباں تھی پہلے
آج افسوس جسے جبر نے تقسیم کیا
مطلعِ عام پہ اِک کاہکشاں تھی پہلے
زمزم و کوثر و تسنیم کا لے کر پرتو
آبِ گنگا کی یہی موجِ رواں تھی پہلے
उर्दू ज़बाँ कभी – पंडित आनंद मोहन गुलज़ार देहलवी
१
अब तो ये राज़ क़त्ल-ए सक़ाफ़त का फ़ाश है
तहज़ीब ओ इत्तेहाद का दिल पाश पाश है
उर्दू समझ रहे हो जिसे अपने ज़हन में
लिथढी हुई कफ़न में तमद्दुन की लाश है
२
ग़ैरौं का सितम था जो ज़बां पर तो वो था ही
अपनौं ने किया क़त्ल ज़बां और ज़ियादा
सिक्कौं के एवज़ अपनी ज़बां बेचने वाले
खुलवाएं न अब मेरी ज़बां और ज़ियादा
जितना मुझे कोसोगे दबाओगे हरीफ़ो
उभरेंगे मेरे नक़्श ओ निशां और ज़ियादा
३
भारत हि की बेटी है ज़बान-ए उर्दू
क्यूं तेग़-ए ता’अस्सुब से करो इस को दो-नीम
जम्हूरियत-ए ख़ास के दावेदारो
आलम में कहीं इल्म हुआ है तक़्सीम
४
आज़ाद हिंद में जो हुई लुक़्मा-ए अजल
वज’ह-ए नजात-ए हिंद थी उर्दू ज़बां कभी
हैं आज जिसके हाल पे गूंगे ज़बां-दराज़
वो ही ज़बान क़ौम की थी तर्जुमां कभी
कांटौं की तरह फैंक दिया तोढ कर जिसे
उस गुल की बू से रंग पे था गुल्सितां कभी
५
आज मा’तूब है जो अहल-ए सियासत के तुफ़ैल
कितनी मक़्बूल वही उर्दू ज़बां थी पहले
आज अफ़्सोस जिसे जब्र ने तक़्सीम किया
मत्ला’-ए आम पे एक काहकशाँ थी पहले
ज़मज़म ओ कौसर ओ तस्नीम का ले कर परतौ
आब-ए गंगा की यही मौज-ए रवां थी पहले
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. His diivaan and kulliyaat are sprinkled with qat’aat and rubaai’yaat about urdu. This is one of several collections.
1
ab to ye raaz1 qatl2-e saqaafat3 ka faash4 hai
tahziib5 o ittehaad6 ka dil paash-paash7 hai
urdu samajh rahe ho jise apne zah’n8 meN
lithRi9 hui kafan10 meN tamaddun11 ki laash12 hai 1.secret 2.killing, murder 3.customs, traditions 4.exposed, revealed 5.culture 6.unity, harmony 7.shattered 8.mind 9.soaked 10.burial shroud 11.civilization 12.corpse
The poet laments the decline of urdu, stating that the secret (raaz) of the murder (qatl) of customs and traditions (saqaafat) is now exposed (faash). The heart of unity (ittehaad) and culture (tahziib) associated with urdu lies shattered (paash paash). That which you imagine to be urdu, is the corpse of civilization wrapped in a blood-soaked burial shroud.
2
GhairoN1 ka sitam2 tha jo zabaaN3 par to voh tha hi
apoN ne kiya qatl4 zabaaN aur ziyaada
sikkoN5 ke e’vaz6 apni zabaaN b’echne vaale
khulvaa’eN na ab meri zabaaN7 aur ziyaada
jitna mujhe koso8 ge dabaao9 ge hariifo10
ubhreNge11 mere naqsh-o-nishaaN12 aur ziyaada 1.others 2.cruelty 3.language 4.killing 5.coins, wealth 6.in place of, as compensation 7.tongue, mouth 8.curse, condemn 9.suppress 10.rivals, enemies 11.emerge 12.picture and identity, legacy
The poet acknowledges that while outsiders (GhairoN) oppressed urdu, the betrayal by insiders (apoN) was even worse (aur ziyaada). He criticizes those who sold their language (zabaN bechne vaale) for monetary gain (sikkoN ke e’vaz). Despite attempts to suppress (dabaao) and curse (koso) urdu, its influence and legacy (naqsh o nishaaN) will only grow stronger (ubhreNge aur ziyaada).
3
bhaarat hi ki beTi hai zabaan1-e urdu
kyuN teGh2-e ta’assub3 se karo is ko do-niim4
jamhooriyat5-e Khaas6 ke daavedaaro7
aalam8 meN kahiiN ilm9 hua hai taqsiim10 1.language 2.sword 3.prejudice, bigotry 4.two pieces 5.democracy 6.special 7.claimants, champions 8.world 9.knowledge 10.divided
The poet asserts that urdu was born and raised in India and is her daughter (not a foreign language). Why do you attack it with the sword of prejudice (teGh-e ta’assub) with prejudice, and cut it in two. This might refer to dividing it between India and pakistan or to dividing hindi and urdu. He challenges the self-proclaimed champions of democracy (jamhooriyat-e Khaas ke daavedaaro), asking if knowledge (ilm) has ever been divided (taqsiim) anywhere in the world (aalam meN).
4
aazaad1 hind meN jo hui luqma2-e ajal3
vaj’h4-e nijaat5-e hind thi urdu zabaaN6 kabhi
haiN aaj jiss ke haal pe gooNge7 zabaaN-daraaz8
voh hii zabaan6 qaum ki thi tarjumaaN9 kabhi
kaaNToN ki tarah10 phaiNk diya toR kar jise
us gul11 ki buu12 se raNg13 pe tha gulsitaaN kabhi 1.free 2.morsel 3.death 4.cause, instrumental 5.deliverance, freedom 6.language 7.mute, ignorant 8.long-tongued i.e., loud mouthed, bold 9.spokesperson 10.like, similar to 11.rose 12.fragrance 13.colour, beauty, glory
The poet reflects on how urdu, which was once the reason for/instrumental in (vaj’h-e nijaat) India’s deliverance from British rule (nijaat-e hind). This refers to songs of independence, slogans at rallies which were mostly in urdu. Now it (urdu) has been reduced to a morsel of death (luqma-e ajal) in independent India (aazaad hind). In (jiss ke haal), refers to the conditions of urdu. Even those who could not speak, do not know much, are loud mouthed in condemning/disowning urdu, that language that once spoke for the nation (qaum ki tarjumaN). urdu, which once filled the garden (gulsitaaN) with its fragrance (buu), has been discarded like thorns (kaaNToN ki tarah).
5
aaj maa’toob1 hai jo ahl-e-siyaasat2 ke tufail3
kitni maqbuul4 vahi urdu zabaaN5 thi pahle
aaj afsos6 jise jabr7 ne taqsiim8 kiya
matla’-e-‘aam9 pe ik kaahkashaaN10 thi pahle
zamzam11 o kausar11 o tasniim11 ka le kar partau12
aab13-e gaNga ki yahi mauj-e-ravaaN14 thi pahle 1.condemned 2.politicians 3.insturmentality, manipulation 4.accepted, admired 5.language 6.alas 7.oppression, force 8.divided 9.public horizon/sky/sphere 10.constellation 11.names of rivers of paradise (in the islaamic tradition) 12.reflection 13.water 14.flowing/rippling waves
The poet laments that urdu, which is now condemned (ma’toob) due to political manipulation (ahl-e siyaasat ke tufail), was once widely admired (maqbuul). He regrets that urdu, which was once a shining constellation (kaahkashaaN) in the public sphere (matla’-e aam), has been divided (taqsiim) by force (jabr). urdu reflects the synchretism of islaamic and hindu cultures reflecting the purity of the rivers of heaven in the rippling waves of the Ganges.
anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. His diivaan and kulliyaat are sprinkled with qat’aat and rubaai’yaat about urdu. This is one of several collections.
1
ab to ye raaz1 qatl2-e saqaafat3 ka faash4 hai
tahziib5 o ittehaad6 ka dil paash-paash7 hai
urdu samajh rahe ho jise apne zah’n8 meN
lithRi9 hui kafan10 meN tamaddun11 ki laash12 hai
1.secret 2.killing, murder 3.customs, traditions 4.exposed, revealed 5.culture 6.unity, harmony 7.shattered 8.mind 9.soaked 10.burial shroud 11.civilization 12.corpse
The poet laments the decline of urdu, stating that the secret (raaz) of the murder (qatl) of customs and traditions (saqaafat) is now exposed (faash). The heart of unity (ittehaad) and culture (tahziib) associated with urdu lies shattered (paash paash). That which you imagine to be urdu, is the corpse of civilization wrapped in a blood-soaked burial shroud.
2
GhairoN1 ka sitam2 tha jo zabaaN3 par to voh tha hi
apoN ne kiya qatl4 zabaaN aur ziyaada
sikkoN5 ke e’vaz6 apni zabaaN b’echne vaale
khulvaa’eN na ab meri zabaaN7 aur ziyaada
jitna mujhe koso8 ge dabaao9 ge hariifo10
ubhreNge11 mere naqsh-o-nishaaN12 aur ziyaada
1.others 2.cruelty 3.language 4.killing 5.coins, wealth 6.in place of, as compensation 7.tongue, mouth 8.curse, condemn 9.suppress 10.rivals, enemies 11.emerge 12.picture and identity, legacy
The poet acknowledges that while outsiders (GhairoN) oppressed urdu, the betrayal by insiders (apoN) was even worse (aur ziyaada). He criticizes those who sold their language (zabaN bechne vaale) for monetary gain (sikkoN ke e’vaz). Despite attempts to suppress (dabaao) and curse (koso) urdu, its influence and legacy (naqsh o nishaaN) will only grow stronger (ubhreNge aur ziyaada).
3
bhaarat hi ki beTi hai zabaan1-e urdu
kyuN teGh2-e ta’assub3 se karo is ko do-niim4
jamhooriyat5-e Khaas6 ke daavedaaro7
aalam8 meN kahiiN ilm9 hua hai taqsiim10
1.language 2.sword 3.prejudice, bigotry 4.two pieces 5.democracy 6.special 7.claimants, champions 8.world 9.knowledge 10.divided
The poet asserts that urdu was born and raised in India and is her daughter (not a foreign language). Why do you attack it with the sword of prejudice (teGh-e ta’assub) with prejudice, and cut it in two. This might refer to dividing it between India and pakistan or to dividing hindi and urdu. He challenges the self-proclaimed champions of democracy (jamhooriyat-e Khaas ke daavedaaro), asking if knowledge (ilm) has ever been divided (taqsiim) anywhere in the world (aalam meN).
4
aazaad1 hind meN jo hui luqma2-e ajal3
vaj’h4-e nijaat5-e hind thi urdu zabaaN6 kabhi
haiN aaj jiss ke haal pe gooNge7 zabaaN-daraaz8
voh hii zabaan6 qaum ki thi tarjumaaN9 kabhi
kaaNToN ki tarah10 phaiNk diya toR kar jise
us gul11 ki buu12 se raNg13 pe tha gulsitaaN kabhi
1.free 2.morsel 3.death 4.cause, instrumental 5.deliverance, freedom 6.language 7.mute, ignorant 8.long-tongued i.e., loud mouthed, bold 9.spokesperson 10.like, similar to 11.rose 12.fragrance 13.colour, beauty, glory
The poet reflects on how urdu, which was once the reason for/instrumental in (vaj’h-e nijaat) India’s deliverance from British rule (nijaat-e hind). This refers to songs of independence, slogans at rallies which were mostly in urdu. Now it (urdu) has been reduced to a morsel of death (luqma-e ajal) in independent India (aazaad hind). In (jiss ke haal), refers to the conditions of urdu. Even those who could not speak, do not know much, are loud mouthed in condemning/disowning urdu, that language that once spoke for the nation (qaum ki tarjumaN). urdu, which once filled the garden (gulsitaaN) with its fragrance (buu), has been discarded like thorns (kaaNToN ki tarah).
5
aaj maa’toob1 hai jo ahl-e-siyaasat2 ke tufail3
kitni maqbuul4 vahi urdu zabaaN5 thi pahle
aaj afsos6 jise jabr7 ne taqsiim8 kiya
matla’-e-‘aam9 pe ik kaahkashaaN10 thi pahle
zamzam11 o kausar11 o tasniim11 ka le kar partau12
aab13-e gaNga ki yahi mauj-e-ravaaN14 thi pahle
1.condemned 2.politicians 3.insturmentality, manipulation 4.accepted, admired 5.language 6.alas 7.oppression, force 8.divided 9.public horizon/sky/sphere 10.constellation 11.names of rivers of paradise (in the islaamic tradition) 12.reflection 13.water 14.flowing/rippling waves
The poet laments that urdu, which is now condemned (ma’toob) due to political manipulation (ahl-e siyaasat ke tufail), was once widely admired (maqbuul). He regrets that urdu, which was once a shining constellation (kaahkashaaN) in the public sphere (matla’-e aam), has been divided (taqsiim) by force (jabr). urdu reflects the synchretism of islaamic and hindu cultures reflecting the purity of the rivers of heaven in the rippling waves of the Ganges.
